The Voyages And The Sugar Industry On The Island Of Barbados

In 1640, the British Caribbean island of Barbados was inhabited by a community of plantation farmers producing a variety of commodities (including tobacco, cotton, ginger, and indigo) and employing a workforce of predominately white indentured servants. By the 1660’s, the island’s commodity production had been nearly entirely switched over to the production of sugar, and the labor force converted to one mostly comprised of African slaves. This was one of the first instances of a large-scale black slave labor force in the British Americas and it was not until the 18th century that the mainland colonies followed Barbados’ lead. The two voyages for this essay, the British ships Elizabeth (1663) and Freke (1730) , will serve as an illustration of the slave market in Barbados during the prime of the sugar industry on the island. This essay will also compare the similarities and differences of the aforementioned voyages and discuss their respective journeys. After both cotton and indigo prices fell suddenly on the London market in 1641, Barbadian plantation farmers began to experiment with growing sugar cane and it quickly gained momentum. This â€Å"primed the pump† for an outpouring of African slaves to the small island over the next century. The slave population in Barbados was the most crucial component of the island’s most profitable and largest industry: the sugar industry. Between 1650 and 1660, plantation farmers began replacing indentured servants with black slaves inShow MoreRelatedA Review of Chapters Seven and Nine of â€Å"from Columbus to Castro† by Eric Williams.1490 Words   |  6 PagesSpanish territorial powers in the Caribbean region. Chapter nine discusses how sugar revolutionalised the Caribbean economy from the seventeenth century through to the eighteenth century. Assessment and Evaluation The author gives a historical antecedent of the power struggle revolving around the control of resources in the Caribbean region. 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In the smaller territories where the ability to access land was limited and alternative occupations were limited, ex-slaves had no choice but to continue plantation work. For example, planters in Barbados and St Kitts had very little difficulty in accessing labor in the post-emancipation period. It was in the large territories such as Jamaica, British Guiana and Trinidad that planters faced such difficulty and had to turn to immigration schemes asRead MoreInfluence Of The British Colonial Empire During The Mid 1650s, Tensions Between Spain And Britain1842 Words   |  8 Pagesfleet sailed from England with the goal of capturing the island of Hispaniola. This effort proved unsuccessful, and the fleet was reluctant to return to Britain empty handed. The Spanish defenses at Jamaica were low which made the invasion of the island successful. Once the British had taken over Jamaica, they were able to develop a powerful colony with a commercial background based first on privateering and trade, and later on though sugar plantations and slavery. It was because of these institutionsRead MoreThe Dutch in the Caribbean2208 Words   |  9 Pagescentury came on the heels of them seeing the prosperous economic opportunities at the time dominated by the Spanish. In the Caribbean, the Dutch concentrated on wrestling from Po rtugal its grip on the sugar and slave trade through attacks on the Spanish treasure fleets on their homeward bound voyages. Though the prime and most active time for the Dutch in the Caribbean lasted for about one hundred years, they were able to damage the monopoly the Spanish blissfully enjoyed by their; privateering attacksRead More Sugar Cane: Past and Present Essay2486 Words   |  10 PagesSugar Cane: Past and Present Sugar cane is composed of six species of perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum L., in tribe Andropogoneae of the Gramineae. There are two wild species, S. spontaneum L. and S. robustum Brandes Jeswiet ex Grassl, and 4 cultivated species, S. officinarum L., S. barberi Jeswiet, S. sinense Roxb., and S. edule Hassk. (Purseglove 1979). The four cultivated species are complicated hybrids, and all intercross readily. All commercial canes grown today are inter-specificRead MoreCaribbean Crucible: History, Culture, and Globalization4302 Words   |  18 Pagesthese global processes can be traced to when the Caribbean became the site of Europes first industries, starting in the sixteenth century. At that time, industrial techniques and a rational approach to time management were applied to the production and export of sugar, tobacco, and other commodities to be consumed by the burgeoning European urban bourgeois, artisan, and working-classes. These industries, in the forms of plantations and haciendas of various sizes, presaged and enabled Europes Industrial

Dr. Faustus And Twelfth Night Experiential Learning

Dr. Faustus and Twelfth Night: Experiential Learning Henry Perkinson, a former educational history and educational theorist professor at NYU, wrote it in his book Learning from our mistakes â€Å"learning takes place not only in success, but in failure as well† (23). Perkinson’s perspective of education, that education comes from personal experience and academic knowledge, can be used to view Thomas Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus and William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night differently. Both stories have characters that have experienced traditional education, but in both plays the characters obtain true knowledge through revelations, which they receive after their first hand experiences. For Faustus, it is his attempt to gain fame through â€Å"necromancy† (Greenblatt 1129.25) that provides a revelation about good and evil during his final moments. For the characters of Twelfth Night, Viola’s disguise and secrets are the triggers for their individual revelations about human interaction and love. In both pla ys it appears that when characters try to defy pre existing social norms they experience greater knowledge through their experience rather than their academic knowledge. While both of the plays focus on experiential learning, both Dr. Faustus and Twelfth Night do highlight on moments of traditional academic learning. For example in Dr. Faustus his interest in necromancy only happens after he was â€Å"swollen with [knowledge], of a self-conceit† (Greenblatt 1129.20). Faustus has achieved a great

The Crucible Diary Free Essays

I cannot believe that John Proctor! Why has he chosen his sniveling wife over me? I am more of a woman than Goody Proctor. Goody Proctor does possess of the qualities needed of a good wife. She is naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve, simple, and talented. We will write a custom essay sample on The Crucible Diary or any similar topic only for you Order Now However, I possess the qualities of a lover. I am intelligent, able, and adventurous. To be blatantly honest, I think any man would be lucky to call me his wife. Diary, why am I good enough for any man, but I am not good enough for the man I desire? I know why. It is because I want a married man. Diary, do you agree that John should leave Goody Proctor and marry me? Do you think I am better than she is? I believe I would be a much better wife. Think about it, if Goody Proctor were good to John would he have come to me? I do not believe so. To me, it is the duty of a wife to keep her husband satisfied and in line. However, if John had not strayed from his wife, John would have never sought me. If John had never sought me, I would have never felt love. John may have sought me, but he is still married to Goody Proctor. She is keeping me from my John. Because of that, I loathe her. There is not a single thing in the world that she can do that I cannot. She can cook, clean, and pray. I can do all that, and even more! I am willing to do anything to be with my John. All I want is to be with him. Diary, do you have any ideas to cause the end of the Proctor marriage? I believe I do. I will receive vengeance on Goody Proctor. I will claim that Goody Proctor is a witch! It is a brilliant idea. When Salem village hears of this, the village people will believe it and order her hanging. It is genius! I would be overcome with joy to see the body of Goody Proctor hanging. At last, I would be with my beloved John! Oh Diary, I know it is a terrible to wish death upon someone, but in this case, Goody Proctor’s death is necessary in order for John and me to be together. Diary, I need to be with John. He loves me and I love him. I know we are destined to be with one another. Diary, I thank you for listening to me. You have always been a faithful friend. Besides John, no one seems to want to listen to me, Oh, how I miss my John! Oh no, I fear Uncle has arrived home. I must go. He will be expecting me. I promise I will write again soon. Love, Abbey How to cite The Crucible Diary, Papers

Greek Wedding Traditions free essay sample

Greek Wedding Traditions I chose to focus my report on the observation of Greek Wedding traditions. It is different from our culture as where Greeks believe they should marry into their own religion. If for some reason they should want to marry outside their religion the outsider shall have to be baptized into the Greek religion to be married in a Greek church. The outside of a Greek church is similar to a catholic church. It reflects some of their heritage and beliefs through mosaics. The inside is elaborate with beautiful chandeliers hanging from the ceilings, and lots of pictures portraying the likes of St. John or St. Luke. Greek music plays in the background while all the wedding guests are seated. The best man (also known as the Koumbaros) escorts the bride and groom to the church. When the bride walks down the aisle wedding guest spit behind her as she walks by, they believe this to be a way to take off the â€Å"Evil Eye† that could be caused by jealousy. We will write a custom essay sample on Greek Wedding Traditions or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page When the bride reaches the priest he usually says a Greek prayer over the bride and groom. The priest then places crowns, or wreathes on the head of the bride and groom. The crowns have a ribbon that connects them as a sign of unity of the couple, and the presence of Christ who blesses, and joins the couple. This also establishes them as King and Queen of their home, which they will rule with wisdom, justice, and integrity. The Koumbaros then steps behind them, and interchanges the crowns three times as a witness to the sealing of the union. The couple is then given the â€Å"Common Cup† of life denoting the sharing of joy, and sorrow. The drinking of the wine signifies the couple is now one, and will now carry one another’s burdens throughout life. The Koumbaros then invites the bride and groom to walk around the ceremonial table. They are now taking their first steps as man and wife, this walk expresses the fact that the way of Christian living is a perfect orbit around the center of life. While the bride and groom walk around the table a hymn is sang reminding the newly married couple of the sacrificial love they are to have for one another. The priest then removes the crowns, and while holding the bible separates the couple as to signify that only God can now separate them from one another. The reception usually consists of feasting, drinking, and dancing well into the night. The guests are then given sugar coated almonds know as Koufeta. The coating of the almonds signifies purity, and the almond represents fertility, and the new life which begins with marriage. They usually receive an odd number of candies. The odd number is indivisible, symbolizing how the husband and wife will share everything and remain undivided. Afterwards, the bride and groom then take part in a dance called the Kaslamantiano, it is performed in a circle by the guest, and they all smash plates on the floor as a sign of good luck for the married couple. I have never been to a Greek wedding ceremony, nor have I ever seen one. I think Greek’s are very passionate people. I noticed how they seemed so passionate about the wedding customs, and traditions. The one part that seemed to stand out to me the most was the wedding ceremony. I really liked the wearing of the crowns to signify unity, and the bond between a husband and a wife. Greek weddings are a lot different than American weddings, as they seem to believe more in the sanctity of marriage, and the bond between a husband, and a wife.

The Age Of Computers Essays - Computing, Classes Of Computers

The Age Of Computers Believe it or not, but the age of computers is upon us. I believe Computers are not only here to stay, but in my opinion computers are the wave of the future. Only a device like the computer can change the way we work, live, and think. I see computers taking us places where no man has gone before. Twenty years ago people were just not up to date with computers back then. I mean if you ask someone about a computer, they probably would say something like, what in the world our you talking about, or what the hell is a computer. Today just about anybody you ask, can tell you something about a computer. Papia Bhattacharyya , says: Technology has bounded onto the center stage in the last few years(59). The earliest existence of the modern day computer's ancestor is the abacus. The abacus dates back to almost 2000 years ago. It is simply a wooden rack holding beads which are strung on wires. The next step in computers took place in 1694 when Blaise Pascal invented the first digital calculat ing machine, which was designed to help Pascal's father who was a tax collector. Now we look at Charles Babbage, who many say is the father of computers. Charles Babbage was a professor of mathematics. In the 1800's Babbage designed an automatic calculation machine. This machine was steam powered and could store up to 1000 50-digit numbers. Charles Babbage was so ahead of his time, that the machines that were used back then were not even precise enough to make the parts for his computer. Gulliver, states: The first major use for a computer in the US was during the 1890 census. Two men, Herman Hollerith and James Powers, developed a new punched-card system that could automatically read information on cards without human intervention (Gulliver 82). In the 1930's punched-card machine techniques had become so well established that Howard Hathaway Aiken, together with engineers at IBM, came up with the automatic computer called Mark I. The Mark I ran by using prepunched paper tape. The Mark I was slow, and required 3 to 5 seconds to perform multiplication. But the computer was fully automatic and could complete long math problems without any human intervention. John P. Eckert, and John W. Mauchley in 1942 decided to build a high-speed electronic computer to do the job. This machine became known as ENIAC, for Electrical Numerical Integrator And Calculator. Dolotta explains: ENIAC used 18,000 standard vacuum tabes, occupied 1800 square feet of floor space, and used about 180,000 watts of electricity. ENIAC is generally accepted as the first successful high-speed electronic digital computer and was used in many applications from 1946 to 1955 (Dolotta 50). A new look at the wonderful advancements in the world of computers, at this stage in time many things were beginning to happen with the computer. Shallis says: In 1971 Marcian E. Hoff Jr, an engineer at the Intel Corporation, invented the microprocessor and another stage in the development of the computer began (Shallis 121). In the 1980's large scale integration, in which hundreds of thousands of transistors are placed on a single chip, become common. Computers are taking us places where a lot of us thought was not possible. For instance the so called virtual reality is now being tested. This is a way to make reality come to life on a computer monitor. One wears these special electronic glasses and an electronic suit, and fastened to the suit are sensors, which send information to the main computer. The computer works with the data, and gives a three-dimensional view, as one looks through the electronic spectacles. If you wanted to be soldier, all you had to do was simply change the scenery on the main computer, and you would be in the battle field fighting. Today many kids have computer games that will just blow you away, computer games so realistic, they can damn near scare you to death. From Charles Babbage, who to many is consider the father of computers till now, computers have grown from a standing start, into one of the biggest industries in the United States. Papia Bhattacharyya states, Everyone wants to, and may

German Verb Brauchen - Meaning and Conjugation

German Verb Brauchen - Meaning and Conjugation Transitive Verb Past Tense: Past Participle: Definition: to needHere brauchen is followed by an accusative object or phrase.Ich brauche einen neuen HutI need a new hat.Sie braucht mehr ZeitShe needs more time.Note: Do not confuse this definition of brauchen with gebrauchen. Even though you may hear it spoken at times (Ich gebrauche tglich acht Glser Wasser), it is still grammatically wrong. You can however substitute brauchen for gebrauchen and vice versa in the next definition as follows. Definition: to use/useful forWith this definition you can often use brauchen and gebrauchen interchangeably, particularly with the verb kà ¶nnen. There is no difference in meaning.Kannst du das Geld brauchen?Would this money be useful to you?Kannst du das Geld gebrauchen? Heute bin ich zu nichts zu brauchen.I am of no use today.Heute bin ich zu nichts zu gebrauchen.But always the infinitive form brauchen needs to be used, in order to stick with the meaning of to use/useful for. Definition: not need toIn German, this translates to brau chen nicht zu infinitive of second verb:Ich brauche nicht meine Hausaufgaben zu tun - I dont need to do my homework.Sie brauchen meinen Sohn heute nicht abzuholen - You dont need to pick up my son today.In spoken German however, it is common to omit zu such as in Du brauchst das nicht kaufen, even though technically it is not grammatically correct. In written German though, zu is imperative. In fact there is a well-known Eselsbrà ¼cke (a help phrase) repeated often in schools to remind students of this grammatical slip-up:Wer brauchen ohne zu gebraucht, braucht brauchen gar nicht zu gebrauchen.Basically this phrase says: Use zu when using brauchen otherwise dont use brauchen at all.Brauchen zu Used Only In NegationAs youve probably observed, there are no statements with brauchen that express need to (-brauchen zu), thats because brauchen doesnt have any. It is only used with negated sentences. If you want to say I need to eat, for example, then you express it as Ich muss essen and not Ich brauche zu essen. Strictly speaking, there is no literal translation in German of I need to eat, since mà ¼ssen, also means must.Du brauchst keine neue Schuhe zu kaufen. You dont need to buy new shoes.Du musst neue Schuhe kaufen.You need to buy new shoes. Phrases and Expressions with brauchen: gebraucht used, second-handein gebrauchter Wagen/ ein GebrauchtwagenEr ist zu allem zu brauchen.He is very handy to have around.

American culture race and representation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

American culture race and representation - Essay Example However, the country is also commonly referred to as a ‘melting pot’ because of its habit of mixing people together who are of all nationalities and races. This concept is usually thought of when one is thinking of people from other nations who have come to America voluntarily, seeking a better lifestyle for themselves and their children. This mixing of people and cultures has not always been as easy or as smooth as it sounds, though. The blending of cultures implied in the phrase melting pot has often not been complete as immigrants of a given nation tended to settle in communities of their own kind and the best properties always seemed to go to the whites. It many instances, the mixing has involved a great deal of violence as these various communities battled for their rights to live the way they saw fit. Mixing has also often not been voluntary on either side. An investigation into the history of African Americans on this continent reveals some of heat that has occasi onally caused America’s ‘melting pot’ to boil and ultimately bring about a more even blending. In the initial phase of slavery in the New World (1519-1580), colonies were being formed on both the North and South American continents and the trade of slaves was somewhat limited. From 1580 to 1650, the slave trade from Africa soared because of massive Native American deaths due to disease, the growth of the economy in the colonies and the unification of the Portuguese and Spanish governments (Palmer, 1976). The early era of colonization in the New World was a time of enormous changes as â€Å"the native Indian populations were decimated by disease and increasingly dominated by the Spanish social and economic structure† (Meyer, 2003). However, slavery declined steadily during the years between 1650 and 1827. â€Å"From New England to Virginia to Jamaica, the English planters in seventeenth-century America developed the habit of

Economic, Social, and Political Change Worksheet Essay

Economic, Social, and Political Change Worksheet - Essay Example Changes in western politics are incorporated, that spread across the region through interaction in liberalism and community manifestos despite the repression by conservatives and the venture of political struggle and realpolitiks. Following a shift from subsistence to commercial farming, in the beginning of the 16th century, there was improvement in livestock management, as well as introduction new rotations, which paved in a way for more production from traditional to modern practices in Agriculture (Bayliss-Smith &Wanmali, 1984). The earlier open field systems had laid the foundation for the farming shift in Europe, though it was later replaced by enclosed fields and more compact farms, it was part of basis in revolution. Most part of Northern and Eastern Europe experienced temperate climatic conditions, apart from the leveled plains and hills that could contain deeper soils to support Agricultural revolution. The society saw a great change in population growth following the massive production of food. The mortality rate was high with the entire population increasing at a higher rate than food production. â€Å"In 1800, Europe had about 190 million people; by 1850, 250 million. By 1914, it had 460 million† (Perry, Chase, Jacob, Jacob, & Laue, 2009, p. 501). The industrial revolution was initially attributed to the population growth in society which provided adequate labor force to produce enough resources from agriculture, to industries for processing and manufacturing. Mechanization also played its role, allowing the introduction of machineries, and more advanced equipments for use in factories and farming; the steam engines were invented to pump water from the mines. Trade intensified following demand of food and other products from the population, which forced industrial revolution in the region and other parts of the world. Between

COMUNNICATION PAPER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

COMUNNICATION PAPER - Essay Example The paper seeks to identify the practical significance of the concepts of Problem Solving, Group Decision Making, Group Conflict, and Leadership that relate to Group activities and how members embody them in their actions. Class Concepts Group A’s task was primarily concerned with engaging in research work pertaining to abuse arising from human trafficking. In order to build relationships and bonds to facilitate this research, Group A scheduled a meeting on the 10th of October. The purpose of this meeting was to familiarize the members with each other and draft a plan of action, so as to delegate specifics to the relevant members of the group which in effect would cause them to present their own input towards the goal, thereby dividing the workload between them. In the meeting, the class concepts of Problem Solving, Group Decision Making, Group Conflict, and Leadership came into play. Problem Solving Problem Solving is the process that centers on accomplishing the group task, which is the primary motive of forming the group. Hirokawa discovered that successful groups tend to start the process of task accomplishment by analyzing it at the outset instead of directly jumping into offering solutions. A similar process was initiated by Group A, as at the very outset, the members were called upon to present their own ideas into the discussion on the subject of human trafficking. In the ongoing analysis of the research topic, the members shared 6 ideas which were to contribute towards effective research on the subject of abuse related to human trafficking. This was the first step towards Problem Solving that the group engaged in, and it formalized a conduct which would further allow these 6 ideas to be filtered into tasks which can then be dedicated to members of the Group. These 6 ideas were then formulated as 5 topics that were to be delegated to each member of the group. This allowed each member to be assigned a specific task that pertains to the research wo rk scheduled to be presented at the next meeting. Each topic was to be agreed upon by the respective member so that no topic was enforced upon anyone and there was general consensus on the delegated work. Lauren, a member of the Group who was absent at the meeting, was also communicated his respective topic and given the choice of agreeing or disagreeing to work on it. This conduct allowed each member to enjoy personal autonomy in decision making. By separating topics in this way, the emphasis was on solution multiplicity as each member would then present their own solution to the problem. This paved way for multiple solutions to the same problem. Group Decision Making Communication within the Group is an essential part of Problem Solving, and is largely characterized by Group Decision Making. Group Decision Making is important when building relationships and is in some part dependant on group size. A group of 20 people, for example, designed to produce a written report can be consi dered overcrowded and might lead to feelings of insignificance and lack of acknowledgement amongst individual members who may not be actively involved in the project. Such people are often referred to as social loafers (Comer, n. p.). Thus, adequate size is important for efficiency. In

The Rise Of Melaka

The Rise Of Melaka IN 1511,despite the brave efforts of its defenders the last defences of Malacca was overwhelmed in the face of a fierce and sustained Portuguese invasion.Sultan Mahmud and his remaining fighting men were finally forced to abandon the city and retreated to Pahang before moving to Johor where his descendents founded the Sultanate Of Johore which lasted into 1914 . The fall of Malacca to the Portuguese brought to an end more than a hundred years of Malay rule. At its height, the sultanate was one of the worlds busiest emporia, attracting ships from the Middle-East, India, China, the Ryukyu, and the surrounding islands of the Archipelago. During the period, Malay wealth and power dominated the region. It was also an influential Islamic centre.It was an international enterport of its day the same way Singapore is to us today. Scholars generally agree that the fall of the Malacca sultanate marked a turning point in Malaysian and world history. But they disagree as to the nature of that importance. Many Western writers portray the fall of Malacca as ushering in a new political and economic order in Malaysia and South-East Asia, one dominated by the West. Others, including Asian scholars, dispute this. They insist that the Portuguese Empire was really a commercial enterprise based on a series of strategically-located fortified posts. The Portuguese were never able to impose an influence in the way the Malacca sultanate once did. Within the sphere of power in the Straits of Malacca, the Portuguese were only one of them.And unlike the Malacca Empire did not expand its influence beyond the City of Malacca. From the Western perspective, the success of the Portuguese in Asia was of epoch making importance. The capture of Malacca was the highlight of nearly a hundred years of Portuguese exploration. Prior to this, Western traders had travelled overland to reach China. But it was only in 1498 that a Portuguese fleet under Vasco da Gama finally rounded the Cape of Good Hope and arrived at the Malabar Coast of India. For the first time, a Western fleet from Europe had reached Asia. Adam Smith, in his classic Wealth of Nations, declared this as one of the two great events recorded in human history. The other, according to him, was the discovery of The New World(America) For a long time Europe had searched for a sea route to China and the East. But what motivated countries such as Portugal and Spain to undertake early explorations and to seek territorial expansion? Portugal was then only a small and poor country of about a estimated 1 million people. A mixture of motives such as scientific curiosity, adventure, profits, and religious zeal explains the support given by the state in the early Portuguese and Spanish explorations. One of the earliest patrons was Prince Henry of the Portuguese ruling house and he was keenly interested in science and geography. But perhaps the overriding factor was that there were profits to be made in the trade of spices. During the Crusades from the 11th to the 13th century, Christian knights and pilgrims had acquired the tastes of the Mediterranean, including spices. Spices then meant Eastern luxuries but pepper, nutmeg, clovers, and cinnamon were the more highly sought. These various spices soon became essential for food preservation and preparation in the pre-refrigeration era of Europe. But the spice trade was controlled by Arabs and Indian Muslims who dominated the Indian Ocean. Europe could only obtain pepper and cinnamon through the middlemen merchants of Genoa and Venice. Religious zeal was also behind the attempt to weaken Arab and Indian Muslim control of the spice trade. To this could be added the evangelical hope to bring the gospel to non-Christian lands. But the Portuguese had very little navigational knowledge to get to Asia. Furthermore, the Muslims controlled long stretches of the waters. Some explorers decided to try a different route. Hence, six years before Da Gamas voyage, Christopher Columbus sailed westward, believing this to be a shorter and easier way to Asia. Instead, he reached America. It took several exploratory voyages down the west coast of Africa before Da Gama finally made it to India. If immediate returns were to be measured, then the expedition had really little to show. The trip had lasted more than two years and, of the original crew of 170, only 54 survived. The glass beads, trinkets and textiles brought to Calicut, India, by the Portuguese found no demand. On its way back, Da Gamas mission resorted to seizing a cargo of spices from a small Muslim ship. From a wider view, Da Gamas expedition must also be seen as really a modest maritime feat compared to Arab seamen who had been circumnavigating Africa for centuries before him. Arabs traded over long distances stretching from ports of the Mediterranean through to India and to China. By the time of Chinas Tang dynasty, there was a large community of Muslim merchants in Guangzhou (Khanfu to the Arabs). Detailed Arab navigational manuals such as by Ibn Majid provided sailing information from Africa to China. Likewise, Chinese ships had by the 9th century been trading regularly at Quilon, a port just south of Calicut. The use of the compass and advances in ship technology helped Chinese overseas trade. More than a hundred years before Da Gama, Admiral Zheng He (Cheng Ho) led a Ming fleet of 62 large ships that called on rulers in the South-East Asian region. In the next few years, the Ming emperors sent out six more expeditions. One of these led by Admiral Zheng He reached the east African ports of Malindi and Mogadishu as well as Aden and Hormuz in the Arabian Sea-Persian Gulf area. For Western scholars, Da Gamas expedition defined the beginning of a new epoch in world history. For over a thousand years, Europe had been on the defensive, having to fight off the Islamic and then the Mongol threats. According to British historian Eric Hobsbawm, Europe after Vasco da Gama took a more assertive international role and over the next 500 years gained hegemonic influence over most parts of Asia. The Portuguese first, and then the Spaniards, the Dutch, the British, and the French carved out empires. It was under two viceroys, Francisco de Almeida (1505-09) and Afonso dAlbuquerque (1509-15) that Portugals Asian empire, the Estado da India, was created. DAlbuquerque personally led naval campaigns to seize strategic points along the major trade routes. Goa was captured in 1510, Malacca in 1511, and Hormuz at the entrance of the Persian Gulf in 1515. The Portuguese took over Malacca but the city never regained the prosperity and the power that was seen during the sultanate period. Once Malacca was no longer ruled by Malays, it lost the daulat, or legitimacy, to command tributes and trade from the surrounding states. Where there was one dominant emporium in the Straits of Malacca in the 15th century, by the turn of the 16th there were several. The Portuguese presence survived largely by allying itself with one or several of the local states. From the local historians point of view, the fall of Malacca had at least three other major impacts on the immediate course of South-East Asian history. Firstly, the shift of Muslims merchants from Malacca contributed to the rise of Aceh. New commercial prosperity and political power strengthened Acehs claim to being the new Islamic centre in the Straits. Aceh, at the height of its power in the 16th and 17th centuries, conquered most of north Sumatra and extended influence over the Peninsular west coast states. The Acheh push to the coast states were anyway interrupted by The Portuguese Empire The Johore Empire which after the fall of Malacca took control of most of the Malacca former Vassal states such as Pahang,Perak,Terengganu and Temasik(Singapore).The three powers continued to struggle with each other for control of the Malacca straits trade on into the 18th century. The Sultanate of Melaka or Malacca Sultanate (Malay: Kesultanan Melayu Melaka) was a Malay sultanatecentered in the nowadays state of Melaka, Malaysia. Traditional historical treatise marks circa 1400 as the founding year of the sultanate by a traitor Malay Raja of Singapura, Iskandar Shah, who was also known in certain accounts as Parameswara. The view however is being compete by a new historical contract that place the founding year in circa 1262. At the height of the sultanates influence in the 15th century, its capital grew into one of the most important entrepots of its time, with domain covering much of the Malay peninsula, Riau Islands and a significant portion of the east coast of Sumatra. As a noisy international trading harbor, Melaka appeared as a center for Islamic tutorial and dissemination, and encouraged the development of the Malay language, literature and arts. It heralded the golden age of Malay sultanates in the archipelago, in which Classical Malay became the lingua franca of the Maritime Southeast Asia and Jawi script became the primary medium for historical, religious and intellectual exchange. It is through these intellectual, spiritual and cultural developments, the Melakan era witnessed the enculturation of a Malay status, the Malayisation of the region and the subsequent formation of an Alam Melayu. In 1511, the capital of Melaka fell to the Portuguese Empire, forcing the last Sultan, Mahmud Shah (r. 1488-1511), to decline to the further reaches of his empire, where his progeny established new ruling dynasties, Johor and Perak. The legacy of the sultanate remained, with significance lies in its far-reaching political and cultural legacy, which, arguably, continues to be felt in modern times. For centuries, Melaka has been held up as an exemplar of Malay-Muslim civilization. It established systems of trade, diplomacy, and governance that persisted well into the 19th century, and introduced concepts such as daulat- a distinctly Malay notion of sovereignty that continues to shape of a new generation understanding of Malay kingship. Before the arrival of the first Sultan, Malacca was a fishing village to live by local Malays. Malacca was founded by Parameswara, also known as Iskandar Shah or Sri Majara, the last Raja of Singapura (present day Singapore) following a Majapahit attack in 1377. He found his way to Malacca around 1400 where he found a good port-it was accessible in all seasons and on the strategically located small point of the Malacca Straits. According to a popular legend, Parameswara was resting under a tree near a river while hunting, when one of his dogs cornered a mouse deer. In self-defence, the mouse deer pushed the dog into the river. Impressed by the courage of the deer, and taking it as a propitious omen of the weak overcoming the powerful, Parameswara decided on the spot to found an empire on that very spot. He named it Melaka after the tree under which he had taken shelter, the Melaka tree (Malay: Pokok Melaka). In collaboration with united countries from the sea-people (orang laut), the wandering proto-Malay privateers of the Straits, he established Malacca as an international port by compelling passing ships to call there, and establishing fair and secure facilities for warehousing and trade. Mass settlement of Chinese, mostly from the imperial and merchant fleet occurred during the dynasty of Parameswara in the nearby of Bukit Cina (Chinese Hill), which was perceived as having excellent Feng Shui. Palace of Malaccas Malay Sultanate came from its strategic location, Malacca was an important stopping point for Zheng Hes fleet. To enhance relations, Hang Li Po, according to local folklore a daughter of the Ming Emperor of China, arrived in Malacca, accompanied by 500 attendants, to marry Sultan Manshur Shah who reigned from 1456 until 1477. Her attendants married locals and settled mostly in Bukit China (Bukit Cina). (See Zheng He in Malacca). At the height of its power, the Sultanate of Malacca ruled over the southern Malay Peninsula and much of Sumatra. Its rise helped to hold off the Thais southward expansion, as well as hasten the decline of the rival Majapahit Empire of Java, which had been declining in power as Malacca rose. Malacca was also pivotal in the spread of Islam in the Malay Archipelago. After Vietnam (then known as Annam) destroyed Champa in the 1471 Vietnamese encroachment of Champa, they engaged in hostilities with Malacca with the intent of conquest. In the 9th month of the year 1481 envoys arrived with the Malacca again sent envoys to China in 1481 to inform the Chinese that, while Malaccan abassador were returning to Malacca from China in 1469, the Vietnamese attacked the Malaccans, killing some of them while castrating the young and enslaving them. The Malaccans reported that Vietnam was in control of Champa and also sought to conquer Malacca, but the Malaccans did not fight back, because they did not want to fight against another state that was a tributary to China without approval from the Chinese. They enquired to face the Vietnamese party to China which was in China at the time, but the Chinese inquire them since the disturbance was years old, they could do nothing about it, and the Emperor sent a letter to the Vietnamese ruler responsibility him for the incident. The Chinese Emperor also ordered the Malaccans to lift soldiers and fight back with violent force if the Vietnamese attacked them again.

Euthanasia Devalues Human Life Essay -- Arguments Against Euthanasia

â€Å"Euthanasia is the practice of ending the life of a patient to limit the patient’s suffering. The patient in question would typically be terminally ill or experiencing great pain and suffering. The word â€Å"euthanasia† itself comes from the Greek words â€Å"eu† (good) and â€Å"thanatos† (death). The idea is that instead of condemning someone to a slow, painful, and undignified death, euthanasia would allow the patient to experience a relatively good death.† The technical definition of euthanasia is the act of ending life painlessly, often someone suffering from an incurable illness. However it is impossible for any life to end free from pain. The actual killing may be peaceful, but the suffering endured throughout the disease will never be forgotten and the heartbreak felt by the family due to the untimely death of a loved one will live on forever. Euthanasia is an extremely controversial issue dividing professionals in both the medical and legal fields. Some argue that individuals have a right to die and death is a choice. Those against euthanasia argue that, â€Å"Death occurs because a fatal pathological condition is allowed to take its natural course, not because those who have removed life support intended to kill the patient. Rather, their intention is to stop doing something useless or to stop imposing a burden on the patient.† (Yount 23) The Netherlands, Belgium, and the Northern Territories in Australia are among some of the countries that recognize Euthanasia as legal. In the Netherlands, euthanasia accounts for over five percent of the nations deaths (â€Å"Facts and Statistics on Eutanasia†1). In 1997, the United States Supreme Court passed the Death with Dignity Act in Oregon, which stated that physician assisted suicide is ... ... more efficient and safe ways to prevent more intense suffering. The minds of those committing suicide are often insane, therefore those making the decision to euthanize are not in the proper mental state. Euthanasia is also not completely safe and effective. In many cases complications occur such as vomiting and intense muscle spasms. Also in a significant number of cases the drugs provided did not result in the desired outcome, meaning then the physician has to inject other fatal concoctions by hand, breaking their Hippocratic Oath. If euthanasia becomes completely legal it will allow a price to be placed on human life, and provide the mentally ill with a legal outlet to give into their disease. Even though a life stolen by euthanasia is supposedly painless, the pain endured by a premature death will live on in the hearts of their loved ones forever.